ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War, 100 years ago. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as ANZACS. Australia is commemorating this most important centenary period 2014 to 2018.The ANZAC centenary is a time for all present First Fleet descendants from Andrew Goodwin and Lydia Munro to honour their past descendants Continue Reading »

was sentenced to transportation for 7 years on 5 or 6 July 1785 at the Berkshire, Summer Assizes. Tried as Thomas Heddington (sic) late of the parish of Bray in the county of Berkshire Labourer on the 23rd day of March, with force and arms in the parish aforesaid, 2 silver Tablespoons of the value of 12s. One Wooden Dish of the value of one penny four copper farthings of the value of one penny 20 copper halfpence of the value of 10d and six pounds in monies numbered of the goods and monies of Continue Reading »

Nathaniel Lucas
was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 7 July 1784 to transportation for seven years for theft of a few items of clothing. Said to be a carpenter and joiner, he spent time in the Ceres and Censor hulks before being sent to Scarborough on 27 February 1787. On 14 February 1788 after the Fleet’s arrival, Lucas was sent to Norfolk Island with the group to settle the island, and making himself a valuable assert as a carpenter in the new community. Amongst the group sent to Norfolk Continue Reading »

THOMAS KIDNER was committed to Newgate prison for feloniously stealing four pieces of Irish Linen valued at £6, the property of Mr Wm Overend, in the parish of St John, Bristol. Sentenced to seven years transportation on 30 October 1782, he spent time on the Censor hulk before being transferred to the Alexander on 6 January 1787. Thomas was sent to Norfolk Island by Supply and at 11 July 1791 he was subsisting himself on a Sydney Town lot and was sharing a sow, which produced a litter of Continue Reading »

made the voyage to Sydney Cove on Charlotte as servant to Surgeon John White. Following his arrival he was appointed store-keeper at Parramatta, and received a 30 acre grant at Concord. In 1795 William and three NSW Corps privates were jointly granted 100 acres at North Bush in the Field of Mars district and it is assumed he took full control of the property naming in Chatham Farm. By 1800 he had sown wheat and was grazing live stock. He also purchased a house in Summer Row Sydney and in Continue Reading »

Mary Springham was tried at the Old Bailey for feloniously stealing, on the 5 March 1786, two guineas, value 21. 2s. and nine shillings in monies numbered, and an iron japanned snuff box, value 1d being the property of William and Mary Reynolds. Found guilty, Mary received a sentence of 7 years transportation, and was delivered to Lady Penrhyn on 6 January 1787. In Sydney Cove on 15 January 1790 a child William, by convict Mary Springham and William Hambly was baptised.William Hambly was Continue Reading »

a Silk Weaver, made off with 51 ells of half-ell lining, one pound of unwound black silk, and 32 ounces of double black silk would, and was chased by the worker who missed them. Found later by searchers, he was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 12 January 1785 to seven year’s transportation. Following time spent in the prison hulks he embarked on 24 January 1787 on Scarborough. In March 1790, Jacob was sent to Norfolk Island, where he successfully farmed and was selling grain to the public Continue Reading »

was the youngest female convict, at 13, on the First Fleet. She received seven years transportation at the Old Bailey in January 1787, for being accused of stealing clothes from the clog maker she was working for. Elizabeth was on board the Lady Penrhyn for about three and a half months before the Fleet set sail.Read more on Elizabeth’s life story under StoriesHonouring her WW1 Descendants5133 Ronald Davie Private
12th Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements, 13th Rifts Continue Reading »

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